5. Ivan Provorov, FLYERS
Age: 19 | GP: 32 | Pts: 14 | ATOI: 20:46
The Flyers have a 10-game winning streak since coach Dave Hakstol moved Provorov up to the top pairing (the streak stands at 10 games overall), and it is hard to argue with those results.
Drafted seventh overall, immediately ahead of Werenski, in 2015, Provorov scored 73 points in 62 games for the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings last season and has scored 14 points in 32 games in the NHL this season, which is tied for second among rookie defensemen with Brady Skjei of the New York Rangers. A complete, two-way defender, the 19-year-old Russian has also been trusted with an average of 2:41 minutes per game killing penalties, along with 1:49 minutes per game on the power play.
Provorov and Shayne Gostibehere, who was runner-up for the Calder trophy in 2015-16, are starting to give the Flyers a reputation for finding and developing exceptional rookie defensemen:
